Shock-absorber



A. M. CRAIG.

SHOCK ABSORBFR.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. I, I9I8.

1,384,238. Patented July 12, 1921.

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AE'VUIN ivi. citare, 0E NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

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rSpecification vof Letters Patent. i Patented July 12, 1.921.

Application filed October 1, 1918. Serial No. 256,368.

and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in shock absorbers, and the general object of my invention is to produce asimple and ef- Iicient shock absorber which is applicable to a great many uses, such for instance as to support thefbody of an automobileor other vehicle, to absorb theshock of a gun recoil, or to absorb the shock or thrust of any me-` chanically moved 4member or thing. f More particularly my invention comprisesa sliding member or piston which moves in a tube and which has lateral cushions adapted to absorb moderate shocks and to permit Icomparatively slight longitudinal movements of said sliding member, fand a mainy cushion behind the piston or sliding member adapted to absorb more violent shocks. This main cushion can be a spring, air, .or other cushion as will appear from the description which follows. I prefer to support the tube and the sliding member which it carries in such a manner as to permit the apparatus as a whole to move into various angles or positions.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speciication, in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of the shock absorber embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is va longitudinal section of the same. A

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showincr a slight modification.

ig. 4 is a cross sectionon the line 4 4 lof Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is'a detail showing a modilication of one of the side or lateral cushions.

In my invention I employ a tube 10 which can be of any approved cross sectional shape, and in which lits a sliding member 11 in the nature of a piston which is adapted to carry a load or receive the thrust to be absorbed. Impinging on the sides of the sliding member or piston 11 is a lateral cushion, and I prefer to use a number of these cushions, In their preferred form these cushions comprise concave' seats 12 in the member 11, and members 13 pressed into the seats. Asshown these members 13 are balls, which structure I prefer, and they are pressed to their seats by springs 14 which are backed by nuts or equivalent abutments 15, the balls and springs being held in suitable recesses 13a in thetube wall. It will be seen that when the piston or member 11 is moved longitudinally, the members 13 will roll or oscillate ontheir seats and permit an A easy but limited movementof the member When, however, the said member is sub- ]ectedV to a violent shock, the balls or members 13 leave their seats, andthe shock which overcomes the pressure of the springs 14 is i absorbed by the s pring`16 whichis arranged behind the memberI 11. I havey shown the tube provided with vents 17 to permit the escape of air when the piston 11 is moved violently inward, but if desired the airvents i mayv be omitted and the more violent thrust of the member 11 will be checked bythc spring 16 and the additional air cushion formed by 'the confined air in the tube.

In the drawing I have shown four of the ballsv 13 in a series, and two series of the balls pressing against corresponding seats in the piston 11, but it will be understood that there can be a greater or less number of these balls in a series, and there can be any desired number of series orrows. It will further be seen that while the several balls 13 are shown as seating simultaneously in the several seats 12, this arrangement can be changed so that they will not all seat at the same time, if preferred.

In, Fig. 5 I have shown a modilication of the side cushion, in vwhich the member 19 takes the place of the ball 13 and answers the same purpose, as its inner end is convex to lit the concave seat 12, and this member 19 is pressed to place by a spring 14 :grranged in the recesses 13a behind the mem- In Fig. 3 I have shown the tube 10 without a spring 16 and closed entirely at its inner end, in which case the member 1l relies on the air cushion as an additional shock absorber in conjunction with the balls 13 or equivalent side cushions as described.

Obviously the tube 10 can be supported in any convenient way, but I prefer to provide the closed end of the tube with a ball 18 which can be mounted in any ball-bearing casing to form a ball-joint so that the "the thrust to be absorbed. 4 Obviously other forms of joints can be used to accomplish the same result.

It will be noticedthat in ordinary use and with variations of load Vor thrust, the member 11 Will have a limited longitudinal and,4

easily cushioned movement, the shock being absorbed by the springs 111 and the members 13 and 19, orequivalent members riding in the seats 12. When, however, the shock is more violent', the member 11 moves inward so thatthe members 18 leave'their seats and the shock is taken up by the cushion behind the member 11, and on theV rebound of the piston its outer movement `is checked and limitedby the several .balls or equivalent devices `which enter the appropriateseats in the member 11. Thus I get a very easy and variable cushion adapted to meet and absorb the various thrusts to which the appa@ ratus maylbe subjected.

'Xs usedto `absorb or diffuse all lordinary shocksthe balls 13 are much preferable to anyjother 'form of device for diffusing the thrust, as these balls fit nicely in the seats 12 and `under any usual `shock .theballs do not leave their seats, butspin in the seats,

and it, has `been found that this spinning of the balls causes` a` great diffusion of the shock.

I', eiaima- I 1. shockV absorber, comprisingva tube having recesses therein, a plunger movable longitudinally n the tube, said plunger having sockets in the sides thereoigand cushionedV ballsl held in recesses in the 4tube and `fittingV in the aforesaid sockets.

2. `A shockabsorber comprising a tube having recesses therein, a' plunger slidable in the tube and provided with concave sockets, a cushion'behind, the plunger, and cushioned balls held` -in the recesses of the tube and fitting in the` aforesaid 'sockets andi en tering the sockets to such an extent that the Vballs Will spin in their sockets under the movement of thel plungerf 8. A shock absorber comprising a tube, a Y

plunger :movable longitudinally in the'tube and provided l-Withiconcaved sockets, and springfpressed `ballsheld tofmove `freely in the lrece'sses of the` tube and to fit in the 

